“Tellin’ the Truth in Their Own Words”: A Critical Race Qualitative Analysis of Ethnic Minority Law School Students’ Experiences

Terrell Strayhorn

doi:10.29333/ajqr/12729

Terrell Strayhorn ¹ ^*

More Detail

AM J QUALITATIVE RES, Volume 7, Issue 1, pp. 25-45

https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/12729

OPEN ACCESS 1244 Views 668 Downloads

Download Full Text (PDF)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the law school experiences of underrepresented racial minorities (URMs) enrolled at predominantly white institutions (PWIs), paying close attention to the nature of their racialized academic and social lives on campus. Drawing upon one-on-one and group interviews with 29 ethnic minority law school students at three PWIs, I identify the myriad factors that law school students of color consider when choosing, enrolling, and/or persisting through law school. In consonance with the beliefs and standards of phenomenological research, I use information from these extensive interviews to describe the essence of their law school experiences, paying close attention to any racialized challenges, supports, or opportunities using critical race theory (CRT) as a lens. Verbatim quotes from participants are presented to illustrate the depth, meaning, and context of the findings in their own words. Results from the present study hold promise for informing the future decisions, programs, and practices of law school administrators, legal educators, diversity officers, policymakers and enrollment management staff more generally.

Keywords: critical race theory; qualitative; case study; interviews; legal education.

References

Allen, W. A., & Solorzano, D. (2000). Affirmative action, educational equity, and campus racial climate: A case study of the University of Michigan Law School. Berkeley La Raza Law Journal, 12, 237–363.
American Bar Association (ABA). (1992). Report of the task force on law schools and the profession: Narrowing the gap, section of legal education and admissions to the bar. Legal Education and Professional Development: An Educational Continuum [“MacCrate Report”]. American Bar Association.
American Bar Association. (2016, April 30). Diversity in Law: Who Cares? ABA DEI Articles. Retrieved December 1, 2022, from https://www.americanbar.org/groups/litigation/committees/diversity-inclusion/articles/2016/spring2016-0416-diversity-in-law-who-cares/
Bell, D. A. (1980, January 11). Brown v. Board of Education and the interest-convergence dilemma. Harvard Law Review, 93(3), 518–533. https://harvardlawreview.org/1980/01/brown-v-board-of-education-and-the-interest-convergence-dilemma/
Blockett, R., Felder, P. P., Parrish, W. P., III, & Collier, J. (2016). Pathways to the professoriate: Exploring Black doctoral student socialization and the pipeline to the academic profession. The Western Journal of Black Studies, 40(2), 95–110.
Bonilla-Silva, E. (2017). Racism without racists: Color-blind racism and the persistence of racial inequality in America (5th ed.). Rowman & Littlefield.
Brammer, J. P. (2019, May/June). Digging into the messy history of ‘Latinx’ helped me embrace my complex identity. Mother Jones. https://www.motherjones.com/media/2019/06/digging-into-the-messy-history-of-latinx-helped-me-embrace-my-complex-identity/
Candela, A. G. (2019). Exploring the function of member checking. The Qualitative Report, 24(3), 619–628. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2019.3726
Chang, M. J. (1999). Does racial diversity matter? The educational impact of a racially diverse undergraduate population. Journal of College Student Development, 40(4), 377–395.
Chilton, A., Driver, J., Masur, J. S., & Rozema, K. (2022). Assessing affirmative action’s diversity rationale. Columbia Law Review, 122(2), 331–405. https://columbialawreview.org/content/assessing-affirmative-actions-diversity-rationale/
Clandinin, D. J., & Connelly, F. M. (2000). Narrative inquiry: Experience and story in qualitative research. Jossey-Bass.
Creswell, J. W., & Miller, D. L. (2000). Determining validity in qualitative inquiry. Theory into Practice, 39(3), 124–130. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip3903_2
DeCuir, J. T., & Dixson, A. D. (2004). “So when it comes out, they aren't that surprised that it is there”: Using critical race theory as a tool of analysis of race and racism in education. Educational Researcher, 33(5), 26–31. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3699853
Delgado, R., & Stefancic, J. (2017). Critical race theory: An introduction (3rd ed.). New York Press.
Denson, N., Bowman, N. A., Ovenden, G., Culver, K. C., & Holmes, J. M. (2021). Do diversity courses improve college student outcomes? A meta-analysis. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 14(4), 544–556. https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000189
Duran, A., Dahl, L. S., Stipeck, C., & Mayhew, M. J. (2020). A critical quantitative analysis of students’ sense of belonging: Perspectives on race, generation status, and collegiate environments. Journal of College Student Development, 61(2), 133–153. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2020.0014
Farber, D. A., & Sherry, S. (1997). Beyond all reason: The radical assault on truth in American law. Oxford University Press.
Gates, S. A. (2018). What works in promoting and maintaining diversity in nursing programs. Nursing Forum, 53, 190–196. https://doi.org/10.1111/nuf.12242
Gildersleeve, R. E., Croom, N. N., & Vasquez, P. L. (2011). “Am I going crazy?!” A critical race analysis of doctoral education. Equity & Excellence in Education, 44(1), 93–114. https://doi.org/10.1080/10665684.2011.539472
Gratz v. Bollinger, 539 U.S. 244 (2003). https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/539/244
Grutter v. Bollinger, 539 U.S. 306 (2003). https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/539/306/
Gurin, P. (1999). The compelling need for diversity in higher education. Michigan Journal of Race & Law, 5, 363–425. https://repository.law.umich.edu/mjrl/vol5/iss1/11
Hossler, D., Schmit, J., & Vesper, N. (1999). Going to college: How social, economic, and educational factors influence the decisions students make. Johns Hopkins University Press.
Hurtado, S., Milem, J. F., Clayton-Pederson, A., & Allen, W. A. (1999). Enhancing campus climates for racial/ethnic diversity: Educational policy and practice. Review of Higher Education, 21(3), 279–302. https://doi.org/10.1353/rhe.1998.0003
Ingram, T. N. (2013). Fighting F.A.I.R. (Feelings of alienation, isolation, and racism): Using critical race theory to deconstruct the experiences of African American male doctoral students. Journal of Progressive Policy & Practice, 1(1), 1-18.
Johnson, A. M. (2017). The underrepresentation of minorities in the legal profession: A critical race theorist's perspective. Michigan Law Review, 95, 1005–1062.
Johnson, R. M., & Strayhorn, T. L. (2022). Examining race and racism in Black men doctoral student socialization: A critical race mixed methods analysis. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000420
Kidder, W. C. (2003). The struggle for access from Sweatt to Grutter: A history of African American, Latino and American Indian law school admissions, 1950–2000. Harvard Blackletter Law Journal, 19, 1–42. https://harvardblackletter.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2016/10/19-JREJ-1.pdf
Lain, E. C. (2018). Racialized interactions in the law school classroom: Pedagogical approaches to creating a safe learning environment. Journal of Legal Education, 67(3), 780–801.
Law School Admission Council (LSAC). (2021). Diversity in the US population and the pipeline to legal careers. LSAC.
Matsuda, M. (1991). Voices of America: Accent, antidiscrimination law, and a jurisprudence for the last reconstruction. Yale Law Review, 100(5), 1329–1407. https://doi.org/10.2307/796694
Mendoza-Denton, R. (2014). A social psychological perspective on the achievement gap in standardized test performance between White and minority students: Implications for assessment. The Journal of Negro Education, 83(4), 465–484. https://doi.org/10.7709/jnegroeducation.83.4.0465
Merriam, S. B. (2009). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. Jossey-Bass.
Orfield, G. (2001). Diversity challenged: Evidence on the impact of affirmative action. Harvard Civil Rights Project.
Pasque, P. A., Chesler, M. A., Charbeneau, J., & Carlson, C. (2013). Pedagogical approaches to student racial conflict in the classroom. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 6(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0031695
Patton, M. Q. (1990). Qualitative evaluation and research methods. SAGE Publications.
Pearson v. Murray, 182 A. 590, 594 (Md. 1936). http://law.howard.edu/brownat50/brownCases/PreBrownCases/PearsonvMurrayMd1936.htm
Redfield, S. E. (2010). The educational pipeline to law school—Too broken and too narrow to provide diversity. Pierce Law Review, 8(3), 347–381. http://scholars.unh.edu/unh_lr/vol8/iss3/5
Rhode, D. L. (2015). Foreword: Diversity in the legal profession: Comparative perspective. Fordham Law Review, 83(5), 2241–2248. https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/flr/vol83/iss5/3
Rhode, D. L., & Ricca, L. B. (2015). Diversity in the legal profession: Perspectives from managing partners and general counsel. Fordham Law Review, 83(5), 2483–2508. https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/flr/vol83/iss5/13
Ryan, C. J. (2020). Analyzing law school choice. University of Illinois Law Review, 2020(3), 583–620. https://illinoislawreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Ryan.pdf
Schellhaas, F. M. H., & Dovidio, J. F. (2016). Improving intergroup relations. Current Opinion in Psychology, 11, 10–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2016.04.002
Shapiro, T. M. (2004). The hidden cost of being African American: How wealth perpetuates inequality. Oxford University Press.
Shealey, M. W. (2009). Voices of African American doctoral students in special education: Addressing the shortage in leadership preparation. Race, Ethnicity & Education, 12, 349–361. https://doi.org/10.1080/13613320903178295
Shultz, M. M., & Zedeck, S. (2011). Predicting lawyer effectiveness: Broadening the basis for law school admission decisions. Law & Social Inquiry, 36(3), 620–661. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-4469.2011.01245.x
Sipuel v. Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma, 332 U.S. 631 (1948). https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/332/631/
Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Strayhorn, T. L. (2006, Spring). Alice Carlotta Jackson: She was the first Black applicant to the University of Virginia. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, 15. https://www.jbhe.com/news_views/51_firstblackapplicant_UVA.html
Strayhorn, T. L. (2008a). Fittin’ In: Do diverse interactions with peers affect sense of belonging for Black men at predominantly White institutions? The NASPA Journal, 45(4), 501–527. https://doi.org/10.2202/1949-6605.2009
Strayhorn, T. L. (2008b). Sentido de pertenencia: A hierarchical analysis predicting sense of belonging among Latino college students. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 7(4), 301–320. https://doi.org/10.1177/1538192708320474
Strayhorn, T. L. (2009). The absence of African-American men in higher education and veterinary medicine. Journal of Veterinary Medical Education, 36(4), 351-358. https://doi.org/10.3138/jvme.36.4.351
Strayhorn, T. L. (2010). The influence of diversity on learning outcomes among African American college students: Measuring sex differences. Journal of Student Affairs Research & Practice, 47(3), 343-366. https://doi.org/10.2202/1949-6605.6150
Strayhorn, T. L. (2013). Theoretical frameworks in college student research. University Press of America.
Strayhorn, T. L. (2017). A return on investment analysis for Black graduates of historically Black colleges and universities: Insights from three studies. In M. Gasman, A. C. Samayoa, & M. Nettles (Eds.), Investing in student success: Examining the return on investment for minority-serving institutions (Research Report No. RR-17-57, pp. 27-45). Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service.
Strayhorn, T. L. (2019). College students’ sense of belonging: A key to educational success for all students (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Sweatt v. Painter, 339 U.S. 629 (1950). https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/339/629/
Torres, L., Driscoll, M., & Burrow, A. L. (2010). Racial microaggressions and psychological functioning among highly achieving African-Americans: A mixed-methods approach. Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology, 29(1), 1074-1099. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2010.29.10.1074
Truong, K. A., & Museus, S. D. (2012). Responding to racism and racial trauma in doctoral study: An inventory for coping and mediating relationships. Harvard Educational Review, 82(2), 226–254.
Villalpando, O. (2003). Self-segregation or self-preservation? A critical race theory and Latina/o critical theory analysis of as study of Chicana/o college students. Qualitative Studies in Education, 16(5), 619–646. https://doi.org/10.1080/0951839032000142922
Wallenstein, P. (Ed.). (2008). Higher education and the civil rights movement: White supremacy, Black southerners, and college campuses. University Press of Florida.
Wassterstrom, R. (1984). Legal education and the good lawyer. Journal of Legal Education, 33, 155–170. https://www.jstor.org/stable/42892674
Weatherspoon, F. (2011). The status of African American males in the legal profession: A pipeline of institutional roadblocks and barriers. Mississippi Law Journal, 80(1), 259–298.
Whitla, D. K., Orfield, G., Silen, W., Teperow, C., Howard, C., & Reede, J. (2003). Educational benefits of diversity in medical school: A survey of students. Academic Medicine, 78(5), 460–466. https://doi.org/10.1097/00001888-200305000-00007
Wilder, G. Z. (2003). The road to law school and beyond: Examining challenges to racial and ethnic diversity in the legal profession (No. LSAC-RR-02-01). Law School Admissions Council. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED481717
Williams, E. (2013). Diversity, the legal profession, and the American education crisis: Why the failure to adequately educate American minorities is an ethical concern for the legal profession. Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics, 26(4), 1107–1122.
Williams, M. S., Brown Burnett, T. J., Carroll, T. K., & Harris, C. J. (2018). Mentoring, managing, and helping: A critical race analysis of socialization in doctoral education. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 20(2), 253-278.
Williams, M. T. (2021). Racial microaggressions: Critical questions, state of the science, and new directions. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 16(5). 880–885. https://doi.org/10.1177/17456916211039209
Yosso, T. (2005). Whose culture has capital? A critical race theory discussion of community cultural wealth. Race, Ethnicity & Education, 8(1), 69-91.

Citation

Strayhorn, T. (2023). “Tellin’ the Truth in Their Own Words”: A Critical Race Qualitative Analysis of Ethnic Minority Law School Students’ Experiences. American Journal of Qualitative Research, 7(1), 25-45. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/12729

Strayhorn, T. (2023). “Tellin’ the Truth in Their Own Words”: A Critical Race Qualitative Analysis of Ethnic Minority Law School Students’ Experiences. American Journal of Qualitative Research, 7(1), pp. 25-45. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/12729

Strayhorn T. “Tellin’ the Truth in Their Own Words”: A Critical Race Qualitative Analysis of Ethnic Minority Law School Students’ Experiences. AM J QUALITATIVE RES. 2023;7(1), 25-45. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/12729

Strayhorn, Terrell. "“Tellin’ the Truth in Their Own Words”: A Critical Race Qualitative Analysis of Ethnic Minority Law School Students’ Experiences". American Journal of Qualitative Research 2023 7 no. 1 (2023): 25-45. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/12729

Strayhorn, Terrell "“Tellin’ the Truth in Their Own Words”: A Critical Race Qualitative Analysis of Ethnic Minority Law School Students’ Experiences". American Journal of Qualitative Research, vol. 7, no. 1, 2023, pp. 25-45. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/12729

Strayhorn T. “Tellin’ the Truth in Their Own Words”: A Critical Race Qualitative Analysis of Ethnic Minority Law School Students’ Experiences. AM J QUALITATIVE RES. 2023;7(1):25-45. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/12729